Climate Craziness of the Week – France surrenders to climate chaos threat

From the Weekly Standard:

France_climate_500days
Announcement from the State Department Tuesday

Secretary of State John Kerry welcomed French foreign minister Laurent Fabius to the State Department in Washington on  Tuesday to discuss a range of issues, from Iran to Syria to climate change. Or, in the words of the foreign minister, “climate chaos.” Kerry and Fabius made a joint appearance before their meeting, and the foreign minister warned that only 500 days remained to avoid “climate chaos”[emphasis added]:

Here is the transcript (and a video of the event).

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Do you want to say anything? He speaks perfect English. Do you want to say anything?

FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS: Well, I’m very happy to be with John. There is no week without a phone call or a visit between John and myself, and we have on the agenda many items, many issues – Iran, because negotiations are resuming today; the question of Syria, and we shall meet next Thursday in London together; Ukraine as well; and very important issues, issue of climate change, climate chaos. And we have – as I said, we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos. And I know that President Obama and John Kerry himself are committed on this subject and I’m sure that with them, with a lot of other friends, we shall be able to reach success on this very important matter.

And it’s always a pleasure to meet with John. We are working very closely together. And we speak either French or English, but the most important point, whatever the language is, is to (inaudible) case. Merci. Thank you.

It is unclear what the foreign minister had in mind with the 500 days.  However, France is scheduled to host the “21st Conference of the Parties on Climate Change” (aka COP21) in December 2015, about 565 days from now.

Hmmm, better send notices out to those conference participants telling them that by the time they convene, the climate will be have descended into hopeless chaos and travel is not recommended.

Maybe they try out some climate gaming theory at COP21?

 

 

 

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Taphonomic
May 14, 2014 10:19 am

So in 500 days, when China and India continue to emit CO2 from their brand new coal fired power plants, what happens?

frozenohio
May 14, 2014 10:20 am

Insanity.

Mark Bofill
May 14, 2014 10:20 am

Sometimes, politicians come out with statements that are so absurd it’s difficult to figure out how to mock them properly.
But I’m working on the problem diligently.

wws
May 14, 2014 10:27 am

another hard core leftist chasing the ghost of Enviro-Religious othordoxy.
:”Climate Change”, or whatever they want to call it, is now a part of unquestionable religious dogma for the left, world wide. As such, every leftist who holds office is requited to genuflect in it’s general direction 5 times a day. To do any less is to invite the treatment that Bengtsson received. (Demonstrating that was the entire point of his public humiliation).

hunter
May 14, 2014 10:28 am

Imagine how unsurprised the world is to see France surrendering to the weather with John Kerry smiling and offering assistance.

John in L du B
May 14, 2014 10:35 am

Charles de Gaulle must be spinning in his grave.

edcaryl
May 14, 2014 10:35 am

It’s 500 days until the scam falls apart of it’s own weight.

Peter Dunford
May 14, 2014 10:35 am

Thats just silly. The French guy obviously meant we only have 500 days to avoid irreversible climate chaos. Irreversible. And 500 days is like, forever!
I don’t think we need to do anything until 2nd quarter 2015.

May 14, 2014 10:35 am

If they’re eating more than 1600kcal/day or using electronic devices of any type, they don’t actually believe.

Bob Shapiro
May 14, 2014 10:37 am

500 days. Maybe he thinks the US Presidential election is in November 2015 (a little over 500 days).

John McClure
May 14, 2014 10:37 am

hunter says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:28 am
Imagine how unsurprised the world is to see France surrendering to the weather with John Kerry smiling and offering assistance.
========
LOL, when I saw the title “France surrenders to climate chaos threat” I thought Anthony was referring to Kerry as the climate chaos threat.
Swell, so did they just rename Climate Change — Climate Chaos? It is a chaotic system which changes all the time and don’t we just “need” politicians to address the “chaos”?

RobertC
May 14, 2014 10:39 am

John Kerry reminds me of an old joke. A horse walks into a bar and the bar keeper says to him “Why the long face?”.

Neil
May 14, 2014 10:40 am

Climate chaos surrender monkeys?

jones
May 14, 2014 10:42 am

“FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS: Well, I’m very happy to be with John. …………………………………………………………………………………………… and very important issues, issue of climate change, climate chaos. And we have – as I said, we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos.
Jimbo, please please…one of your lists…
Thank you kindly.

TheMIghtyQuinn
May 14, 2014 10:43 am

In that case, John Kerry should immediately shutter his mansions, give up his jet travel and surrender his yacht. ITS FOR THE CHILDREN!

May 14, 2014 10:44 am

The UN’s current agenda talks in terms of the post-2015 agenda. All theses references are to post-2020. The meeting will mark a decisive stage in negotiations on the future international agreement on a post-2020 regime, and will, as agreed in Durban, adopt the major outlines of that regime.
The post 2020 date ties into what all the documents surrounding the Belmont Challenge and the Future Earth Alliance state. That means this is not just a conference about money or who gets to dine in Paris. It is primarily interested in what the UN calls the human behavior dimension. That aligns unfortunately with the expressed intention to use education globally. Yesterday I downloaded an NEA guidebook created in 2009 to serve as the curriculum guidelines for the Common Core that called for examining issues under the “individualist perspective” vs the “collectivist perspective.”
The French will just adore which is now to be the area of mandated emphasis in US schools. Mostly in an invisible manner to parents.

John V. Wright
May 14, 2014 10:46 am

Couldn’t make it up.
Sorry, how are you pronouncing that….?

Keith Willshaw
May 14, 2014 10:51 am

> Taphonomic says:
> So in 500 days, when China and India continue to emit CO2 from their brand new coal fired
> power plants, what happens?
Not much given that France gets over 85% of its electricity from nuclear and hydro neither of which emit CO2.

george e. smith
May 14, 2014 10:51 am

“””””…..John in L du B says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:35 am
Charles de Gaulle must be spinning in his grave……”””””
So what makes you think CdG would give a hoot about Climate Chaos. Unless you promised him he could lead the parade, in his uniform; maybe in a (American) tank, I doubt he would lift a finger.
He wasn’t even much interested in lending a hand (even verbally) for the D-Day invasion to liberate ” his ” country !
I would research (Gen) Omar Bradley’s opinion of CdG.

Londo
May 14, 2014 10:52 am

This only proves that political memory is down to a few days and nobody is going to hold him accountable for what he said 500 days ago. The political gains outweigh the losses and the gain is immediate while the loss is miniscule and some distant day in the future. Politics is becoming absolutely stupid.

Walt The Physicist
May 14, 2014 10:52 am

Hey in 500 days when everything will go irreversibly down will they close all these Centers and Institutes for Climate Disruption, Weather Risk Management, Climate Ethics? Hey, will they disband the IPCC in 500 days as the irreversible will have had happened? Let’s turn the countdown on…

Curious George
May 14, 2014 10:54 am

He is right, it is 500 days, has always been, will always be.

May 14, 2014 10:57 am

Odd. They must not have gotten Gore’s memo, where if you scroll down the page here http://www.rushlimbaugh.com/daily/2006/01/27/algore_we_have_ten_years_left_before_earth_cooks the countdown as of today stands at 1 year 257 days, 622 days in other words.

May 14, 2014 11:02 am

& here I thought that the instant CO2 went over 350ppm we were irrevocably screwed. Or was it 400ppm? Or maybe 420 would be more appropriate for these clowns.

more soylent green!
May 14, 2014 11:02 am

Don’t be surprised when statists endorse the official state religion.

LT
May 14, 2014 11:08 am

Now that is some funny sheet

May 14, 2014 11:08 am

500 days from today is Sept 26, 2015.
http://cdkn.org/2014/02/event-climate-change-and-the-post-2015-sustainable-development-goals/

The Rio+20 Conference on Sustainable Development in 2012 initiated a government process to create the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will build on the Millennium Development Goals to eradicate poverty, protect the environment and assure health and wellbeing to the world’s population.
Climate change is one of the most pressing challenges the world faces today, affecting all aspects of global development, from poverty eradication to healthcare, to economic growth and disaster risk reduction. Without concerted global efforts to address climate change, climate impacts over the lifetime of the new SDGs, from 2015-2030, are likely to undermine the attainment of thesegoals. However, presently it is unclear how limiting climate-related emissions and building climate resilience will feature in the SDGs.
The SDGs are scheduled to be agreed in September 2015, a few months ahead of the 21st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC COP21) in Paris, France. This UNFCCC meeting is planned as the next opportunity to secure an inclusive global deal on climate change with commitments from all Parties. Handled well, linkages between the SDGs and governments’ official climate change commitments will result in mutually beneficial outcomes for both negotiations. Handled badly, there is a risk that both sets of negotiations achieve weak agreements to address climate change and development.

Long ball.

May 14, 2014 11:12 am

Did any of these wizards mention what is going to happen in 500 days if nothing is done?

ConfusedPhoton
May 14, 2014 11:14 am

“Kerry and Fabius made a joint appearance before their meeting, and the foreign minister warned that only 500 days remained to avoid “climate chaos””
Given the state of the French economy, I doubt France has 500 days left before crashing into recession!!!

Ulrich Elkmann
May 14, 2014 11:16 am

So – in 500 days they’ll announce to the Press: “folks, climate is a *cough* CHAOTIC system …”(read: not to be modeled, unpredictable, non-deterministic.) They will not announce: “we needed the time to make sure our ill-gotten gains will not be taken from us.” And they most certainly will not announce that the sceptics told them so all along.

Taphonomic
May 14, 2014 11:16 am

Keith Willshaw says:
“Not much given that France gets over 85% of its electricity from nuclear and hydro neither of which emit CO2.”
All well and good, but that doesn’t really address the impending “climate chaos” in 500 days predicted by the French minister. Just because France doesn’t emit a lot of carbon dioxide, doesn’t mean that it isn’t being emitted elsewhere.
Once again, what happens in 500 days, when China and India continue to emit CO2 from their brand new coal fired power plants?

Bertram Felden
May 14, 2014 11:18 am

Do not forget that Hollande’s government is the most unpopular in France’s post war history – and not by a little bit. Also it must be remembered that France has a long history of saying one thing and doing quite another. Here in La Belle we have 80% of our electricity from nukes, with more under construction. So it’s dead easy for France to hit the EU CO2 targets. Ergo Fabius can play the pious alarmist with impunity.

Walt The Physicist
May 14, 2014 11:21 am

Aha, got it, all these climate change, risk, disruption institutes and centers will re-focus and become sustainable development, weather management, and climate threat reduction institutes and centers. Someone in the previous “McCarthysm” thread expressed concern for the current graduates of meteorology departments… No worries, they will take positions in these centers replacing retired Turleys, Manns, Hansons, Shmidts…

May 14, 2014 11:22 am

Taphonomic says:
May 14, 2014 at 11:16 am

Keith Willshaw says:
“Not much given that France gets over 85% of its electricity from nuclear and hydro neither of which emit CO2.”
All well and good, but that doesn’t really address the impending “climate chaos” in 500 days predicted by the French minister. Just because France doesn’t emit a lot of carbon dioxide, doesn’t mean that it isn’t being emitted elsewhere.
Once again, what happens in 500 days, when China and India continue to emit CO2 from their brand new coal fired power plants?

Why, they’ll change the subject!

more soylent green!
May 14, 2014 11:24 am

Dave says:
May 14, 2014 at 11:12 am
Did any of these wizards mention what is going to happen in 500 days if nothing is done?

In my lifetime, various ministers or charlatans have calculated the date and time of the Rapture or Doomsday. When the time comes and goes, they claim they’re going to redo their numbers or we were lucky to dodge a bullet–this time.
After awhile when the predictions don’t come true, people stop listening.

Stephen Richards
May 14, 2014 11:35 am

You guys are safe. I have to live with this bunch of sociaist clowns. The french PS are more left wing than Oblarny Kerry. Fabius’ colleagues have decided to close half of the french nuclear power stations over the next 10 yrs. So with only wind and solar and no base load for the rest of europe.

richardscourtney
May 14, 2014 11:38 am

more soylent green!:
At May 14, 2014 at 11:24 am you say

After awhile when the predictions don’t come true, people stop listening.

Not always.
Perhaps you remember this from 2009

The world has just 11 days to save the planet from global warming. Read the latest updates from the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen here.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/copenhagen-climate-change-confe/6728106/Copenhagen-climate-summit-live.html
Richard

Doug Proctor
May 14, 2014 11:41 am

Why 500 days? Is that until the 2016 American presidential elections and the new guy dumps the EPA powers?

May 14, 2014 11:42 am

Dear Readers, forget the science. Forget the physics. Forget the climate.
Focus only on the Politics, the Money, and the WEATHER.
On the Politics and the Money:
A) The next important Rio+20(+n) climate conference is in late 2015 in Paris, France.
B) Sec. of State Kerry is a confirmed climate alarmist, and one of the richest men in the world (thanks to marriage)
C) The wealth transfer from the “Middle Class to the Rich” (TM Gail Combs) if any Rio+20 SDG get adopted will be staggering. Billions of people will be left staggering under the load of new regulations.
On the Weather:
One very possible scenario is that the world will be just ending what may be an average to strong El Nino, with a spike in temperature anomalies, and just before an expected plunge in temperature anomalies.
Take Lord Monckton’s 17 years, 9 months graph of no Global Warming. Tack on a scaled down repeat of 1998 onto 2014-2015. That 17 year zero trend might disappear entirely only to return to 19 years or more in the 2016-2017 expected cooler system response. It won’t matter to the political debate.
The organizers of the Paris meeting will pounce on any temporary spike in the temperature graph, “put the skeptics and d-word in their place” and finally pass their coveted agenda. So… pray for a early fall and a snowstorm in Paris during the summit.

Leonard Herr
May 14, 2014 11:42 am

Sounds like it’s time for a countdown clock.

May 14, 2014 11:45 am

Chaos:
A Physician, an Architect and a Politician were in a bar. They were debating who held the senior profession.
The Physician said, “When God made Adam of the clay of the earth he was performing surgery. I have the senior profession”.
The Architect said, “But when God made Heaven and earth out of Chaos he was following my school. I have the senior profession”.
“Ah!”, said the Politician,
“But who created the Chaos?”.

Mike Bromley the Kurd
May 14, 2014 11:49 am

They’ve all gone completely bonkers. Collapsing Antarctic Ice completely hidden by record sea ice. Out-gassing tundra in the grip of persistent winter. The Gore effect everywhere, and two totally out-of-touch eyebrow-scruntchers with a bad case of drama-face stand and deliver a completely and utterly unfounded time limit, out of the blue, it would seem. Whack-jobs, all.

May 14, 2014 11:52 am

B.
Whack-jobs, all.
Maybe. But they are in power and we are not.
Follow the Money. Follow the Power.

David L. Hagen
May 14, 2014 11:53 am

Beware the COLD
We have had ~18 years with no warming (aka the “hiatus”) and the weakest solar cycle in a century. Could Foreign Minister Fabius be warning us of an impending global cooling?
Note that it only took about 2-3 years for Finland to lose 25% to 33% of its population.
Neumann, J.; Lindgrén, S. (1979). “Great Historical Events That Were Significantly Affected by the Weather: 4, The Great Famines in Finland and Estonia 1695–97”. Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society 60 (7): pp775–787. doi:10.1175/1520-0477(1979)0602.0.CO;2. ISSN 1520-0477.

In the years 1694 to early 1697, cold winters and cool and wet springs and autumns led to extreme famine in northern Europe, particularly in Finland, Estonia, and Livonia. It is estimated that in Finland about 25–33% of the population perished (Jutikkala, 1955; Muroma, 1972), and in Estonia-Livonia about 20% (Liiv, 1938). As far as is known the population disasters associated with the famines of the 1690s in France, Italy, and Scotland; 1816–17 in western Europe; 1845–46 in Ireland; and 1867–68, again in Finland; were all notably smaller than those of Finland, Estonia, and Livonia in 1695–97.

May 14, 2014 11:55 am

It’s about money – I thought usa and france didn’t really get on….but when there’s money to be handled…
“how ’bout we swop you some of our digital dollars for all that new CO2 credit you’ll be getting, after all, we are pushing the CO2 trolley the hardest”

Alan Robertson
May 14, 2014 12:03 pm

Curious George says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:54 am
“He is right, it is 500 days, has always been, will always be.”
___________________________
You get the thread Gold Star next to your name!

harkin
May 14, 2014 12:05 pm

In the old days the French would just drop their guns, grab their ankles and hope the UK/USA would clean up the mess before too many Frenchies suffered.
The times change but the cowardice remains the same.

Resourceguy
May 14, 2014 12:05 pm

Translation: 500 days before debt default and we need more revenue sources

Davidg
May 14, 2014 12:05 pm

Is anyone surprised that the world famous cheese eating surrender monkeys have surrendered, to panic?:]

May 14, 2014 12:05 pm

It’s really amusing when you think of it – France is probably the only country in the world that can meet the 50 year goals of emission reduction recommended by Kerry right now, so who does our clueless Sect of State decide to bargain with ? That’s right, a country whose percentage of emissions is easily six times less than the country Kerry works for. One thing’s for sure, the outcome of these pointless talks is guaranteed to be successfull. Brilliant, Kerry! Brilliant!

old44
May 14, 2014 12:06 pm

500 days remained to avoid “climate chaos”
If I remember correctly, in 1997 we only had 2 years to stop Global Warming so that boat has long sailed, better just sit back and enjoy the ride.

John McClure
May 14, 2014 12:06 pm

Doug Proctor says:
May 14, 2014 at 11:41 am
Why 500 days? Is that until the 2016 American presidential elections and the new guy dumps the EPA powers?
========
Doug,
Congress has the responsibility to govern the EPA not the President. This has been a problem due solely to the Harry Reid Do-Nothing Senate for 2 terms.
Its time for a big change in the Senate!

Tonyb
May 14, 2014 12:19 pm

This 500 days to save the world sounds awfully familiar. Back in 1990 the ecologist reckoned we had 5000 days to save the planet
http://www.theecologist.info/page38.html
Tonyb

Paul Westhaver
May 14, 2014 12:21 pm

so what… it is France.

MattS
May 14, 2014 12:32 pm

French surplus military rifles available for sale. Never fired, only dropped twice.

Frodo
May 14, 2014 12:32 pm

I am going to have to differ once again with the prevailing opinion. The republic of France is the only place on earth that I think should take climate change very seriously. Given the hygienic practices of the population, you can only imagine the truly catastrophic effects that greatly increased wind velocities, not to mention elevated temperatures, would produce in that region. If I lived anywhere near the Cliffs of Dover I would be quite concerned as well.

Resourceguy
May 14, 2014 12:49 pm

In the old days it was the meaningless photo op and joint press conference that marked State visits. Now it’s the photo op and joint climate statement that comprise the meaningless pomp.

Resourceguy
May 14, 2014 12:50 pm

Said one socialist to the other socialist

May 14, 2014 12:51 pm

The political climate for these lefties is indeed in chaos.
Couldn’t happen to a better buch of marxists. Let’s vote them out

May 14, 2014 12:54 pm

When will we hear:
“We’ve had until yesterday. It’s too late now”
??

May 14, 2014 1:00 pm

Avoid Climate Chaos! Elect a Vichy Government today!
75 years have not changed them.

Steve (Paris)
May 14, 2014 1:02 pm

Fabius’s son is a very dodgy geezer, just Google him. Fruit does’nt fall far from the tree.

pottereaton
May 14, 2014 1:06 pm

The Frenchy is appropriately named. The Fabian Socialists took their name from Fabius Maximus, the Roman general known for the methodical and slow pace of his campaigns. Wiki quotes from one of their first pamphlets:

“For the right moment you must wait, as Fabius did most patiently, when warring against Hannibal, though many censured his delays; but when the time comes you must strike hard, as Fabius did, or your waiting will be in vain, and fruitless.”

Their mascot was the turtle.
As for Kerry, he’s always been a socialist. It’s just that as an American politician he couldn’t call it that.

May 14, 2014 1:12 pm

Curious George says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:54 am
He is right, it is 500 days, has always been, will always be.

==================================================================
😎
Reminds me a sign I saw painted on the side of a seafood restaurant, “Free Crabs Tomorrow!”

Amr marzouk
May 14, 2014 1:16 pm

Cheese eating surrender ……..

May 14, 2014 1:26 pm

pottereaton says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:06 pm
As for Kerry, he’s always been a socialist. It’s just that as an American politician he couldn’t call it that.

==================================================================
It is odd that the richest US politicians seem to be the ones that use socialism as their lever to power.
I think Thomas Sowell said this or something like it.
“He who proposes to rob Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”
The Kerry-types are never the Peters.

Robert W Turner
May 14, 2014 1:31 pm

Only 500 days?! Golly gee wiz batman I guess I’ll sell all of my winter clothes and move to the new Baffin Island paradise.

Svend Ferdinandsen
May 14, 2014 1:41 pm

Normally foreign secretaries tried to make peace in middle east. May be they have found out it wont happen, so now they found a new dead horse to flog.

Auto
May 14, 2014 1:44 pm

george e. smith says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:51 am
I don’t think Winston Churchill though very highly of CdG [who, unlike Winston, has an airfield named after him in his hoe country].
“The heaviest cross I have to bear is the Cross of Lorraine” seemed to sum up WC’s experience with CdG.
Well within my father’s youth . . . .
Auto

Frodo
May 14, 2014 2:03 pm

“Svend Ferdinandsen says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:41 pm
Normally foreign secretaries tried to make peace in middle east. May be they have found out it wont happen, so now they found a new dead horse to flog.”
No, Kerry found a new gullible Frog to horse around with.

May 14, 2014 2:11 pm

Fabius! Wake up! It’s just a Y2K style nightmare…….

Jeff
May 14, 2014 2:53 pm

‘Gunga Din says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:26 pm
pottereaton says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:06 pm
As for Kerry, he’s always been a socialist. It’s just that as an American politician he couldn’t call it that.
==================================================================
It is odd that the richest US politicians seem to be the ones that use socialism as their lever to power.
I think Thomas Sowell said this or something like it.
“He who proposes to rob Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”
The Kerry-types are never the Peters.” ‘
Adding irony to this is the fact that Kerry’s wealth is not his, i.e. it’s by marriage from the
Heinz fortune. There are theories going on about that as well….
“Other people’s money”, for sure…

Gary Hladik
May 14, 2014 3:11 pm

500 days (not 499, not 501). Let’s see…that’s the day after the day after the day after (etc) the day after tomorrow. 🙂

Reply to  Gary Hladik
May 15, 2014 9:42 am

A day later and it still is.

Jimbo
May 14, 2014 3:29 pm

FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS:
……..as I said, we have 500 days to avoid climate chaos. And I know that President Obama and John Kerry himself are committed on this subject and I’m sure that with them,…..

We are serially doomed. The End Is Nigh………….again.

Moscow-Pullman Daily News – 5 July 1989
governments have a 10-year window of opportunity to solve the greenhouse effect before it goes beyond human control.”
[Noel Brown – New York office of the United Nations Environment Program]
=======================
The Vancouver Sun – May 11, 1982
Lack of such action would bring “by the turn of the century, an envi-ronmental catastrophe which will witness devast-tation as complete, as ir-reversible as any nu-clear holocaust.”
[Mostafa Tolba – Executive director of the United Nations Environment Program]
=======================
New York Times – November 18,
2007
…..The IPCC chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, an engineer and economist from India, acknowledged the new trajectory. “If there’s no action before 2012, that’s too late,” Pachauri said. “What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defining moment.”…..
=======================
Guardian – 1 August 2008
Andrew Simms
The final countdown
We have only 100 months to avoid disaster. Andrew Simms explains why we must act now – and where to begin
…Because in just 100 months’ time, if we are lucky, and based on a quite conservative estimate, we could reach a tipping point for the beginnings of runaway climate change….
=======================
Independent – 20 October 2009
[SPEECH]
Gordon Brown: We have fewer than fifty days to save our planet from catastrophe
……..Copenhagen must be such a time.
There are now fewer than 50 days to set the course of the next 50 years and more. So, as we convene here, we carry great responsibilities, and the world is watching. If we do not reach a deal at this time, let us be in no doubt: once the damage from unchecked emissions growth is done, no retrospective global agreement, in some future period, can undo that choice. By then it will be irretrievably too late….
=======================
Guardian – 12 March 2009
……The current financial slump would be “nothing” compared to the “full effects which global warming will have on the world economy,” he said.
We have less than 100 months to alter our behaviour before we risk catastrophic climate change,” Prince Charles added…..
=======================
National Post2009?
… In the summer, United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon insisted “we have four months to save the planet.”
=======================
Guardian – 3 November 2009
We only have months, not years, to save civilisation from climate change
…….Lester R Brown is president of Earth Policy Institute and author of Plan B 4.0: Mobilizing to Save Civilization.
=======================
Guardian – 8 July 2008
100 months to save the Earth
There isn’t much time to turn things around. And today’s G8 announcements on climate change set the bar too low
……The world’s climate experts say that that the world’s CO2 output must peak within the next decade and then drop, very fast, if we are to reach this sort of long term reduction. In short, we have about 100 months to turn the global energy system around. The action taken must be immediate and far reaching……
[John Sauven – Greenpeace]
=======================
WWF – 7 December 2009
12 days to save the planet!
…“The world has given a green light for a climate deal. But the commitments made so far won’t keep the world under 2° of warming, This has to change over the next 12 days. …
[WWF-UK’s head of climate change, Keith Allott]
=======================
Guardian – 18 January 2009
‘We have only four years left to act on climate change – America has to lead’
Jim Hansen is the ‘grandfather of climate change’ and one of the world’s leading climatologists…..
“We cannot now afford to put off change any longer. We have to get on a new path within this new administration. We have only four years left for Obama to set an example to the rest of the world. America must take the lead.”
=======================
The Star – Mar 24 2009
‘We have hours’ to prevent climate disaster
…Recently, Prince Charles has said we have only an estimated 100 months. Unless the world comes together and negotiates a meaningful agreement to rapidly reduce greenhouse gas emissions nine months from now – at the Copenhagen meeting of the United Nations climate conference in December – another 90 months won’t help.
We have hours to act to avert a slow-motion tsunami that could destroy civilization as we know it.
Earth has a long time. Humanity does not. We need to act urgently. We no longer have decades; we have hours. We mark that in Earth Hour on Saturday….
[Elizabeth May of Canadian Green Party]
=======================
Address at New York University Law School – September 18,
2006
Al Gore
Many scientists are now warning that we are moving closer to several “tipping points” that could — within as little as 10 years — make it impossible for us to avoid irretrievable damage to the planet’s habitability for human civilization.
=======================
Scientific American – Mar 18, 2014
By Michael E. Mann
Why Global Warming Will Cross a Dangerous Threshold in 2036
If the world continues to burn fossil fuels at the current rate, global warming will rise 2 degrees Celsius by 2036, crossing a threshold that many scientists think will hurt all aspects of human civilization: food, water, health, energy, economy and national security. …
=======================
Irish Times – 14 April 2014
Former president Mary Robinson said this morning global leaders have “at most two decades to save the world”.
=======================
Independent – 28 June 2010
Scientists ‘expect climate tipping point’ by 2200
…“We are certainly capable of committing ourselves to an emissions trajectory that make 1,000 ppm in 2200 almost inevitable if we make the wrong decisions over the next 20 years,” Dr Allen said….

And so on and so on…………..

May 14, 2014 3:43 pm

george e. smith says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:51 am
……….
Winston Churchill on Charles de Gaulle:
“If I regard de Gaulle as a great man?
He is selfish, he is arrogant, he believes he is the centre of the world. He . . .
You are quite right. He is a great man.”

george e. smith
May 14, 2014 3:46 pm

“”””””……Auto says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:44 pm
george e. smith says:
May 14, 2014 at 10:51 am
I don’t think Winston Churchill though very highly of CdG [who, unlike Winston, has an airfield named after him in his hoe country].
“The heaviest cross I have to bear is the Cross of Lorraine” seemed to sum up WC’s experience with CdG.
Well within my father’s youth . . . .
Auto…….”””””””
Actually, I never said any such thing; but I am very familiar with WSC’s self stated opinions on the subject.
On the night before D-Day, CdG was asked to broadcast a radio message to the French underground (some real patriots), as a pre-arranged signal for them to activate disruption and sabotage programs, to occupy German forces during the landings.
CdG refused, unless Eisenhower named him head of the French forces, and agreed to let him lead the parade into a liberated Paris; something Roosevelt had specifically told Eisenhower he was not to do. Eisenhower reluctantly agreed to dG’s plan. During that late hour planning confrontation, Omar Bradley came very close to decking CdG, for his intransigence.
Extended consequences of that D-Eve agreement, were that the French; out of all the European colonial powers, were allowed after the war to re-establish their colonial empire in Asia (French Indo-China) which ultimately precipitated the Viet Nam War, that cost so many American lives.

Greg Woods
May 14, 2014 4:30 pm

I say that it is about time! I was worried that I wouldn’t be around for the End of the World (as we know it).

u.k.(us)
May 14, 2014 5:02 pm

MattS says:
May 14, 2014 at 12:32 pm
French surplus military rifles available for sale. Never fired, only dropped twice.
==================
You sure about that ?
Check the deaths per country in WW1/and WW2.
Best not to share a border with a country determined to take over the world.

philincalifornia
May 14, 2014 5:22 pm

pottereaton says:
May 14, 2014 at 1:06 pm
As for Kerry, he’s always been a socialist.
——————————————————
A fake-socialist you mean, like the rest of those parasites on our society.
Weren’t useful idiots further down the chain of command not so long ago? Now they’re in charge !!!

May 14, 2014 6:05 pm

Kerrry, a socialist? Are you living in a tree? Kerry is a miserable destabilizing Hegelian termite, Skull and Bones putative world ruler, the arrogant Kerry, just like the many Bushes and other entitled parasites in this country who have been tapped in their senior year at Yale to become one of the puppet masters.. They have all sworn allegiance to a foreign philosophy belonging to one Prof. Wlhelm Wundt and a few enterprising Americans brought this philosophy here to enslave America and have done a pretty good job.The Dewey system and ‘educational’ philosophy came from this.They would turn all of us into cogs in the great wheel.

Goldie
May 14, 2014 6:41 pm

(In French Accent) You stupeed Americain don’t you eefen know dat we Fronch beat da living crap out of our students during de 70s and built nuclear power plants all over de playce! Global warming! We laugh in da face of Global warming! Pttuey!
Sorry for the horrible stereotype, but Kerry must really be as dumb as he looks if he thinks the French aren’t selling this message for National advantage.

Reply to  Goldie
May 15, 2014 10:35 am

@Goldie – as a representative of the French, I will say you do not need to apologize for reality.

Steve from Rockwood
May 14, 2014 6:44 pm

“Hi Barack? […] Yeah, it went really well. The French agreed to everything.”
[…] “What? Ah – no. They said speak to the Germans. They have no money.”
“But the good news is we got the whole thing on TV.”

May 14, 2014 6:59 pm

Oh! I get it.
It’s not a wine pogram, it’s a cheesy pogram……….right? Wait! Wait! That would be a gluten pogram etc. et al…………
For a moment there I thought I missed something

May 14, 2014 7:23 pm

harkin says:
May 14, 2014 at 12:05 pm
In the old days the French would just drop their guns, grab their ankles and hope the UK/USA would clean up the mess before too many Frenchies suffered.
The times change but the cowardice remains the same.

It is true that the American intervention was needed to ensure victory in WW I, but the French fought hard from the beginning to the end and suffered immense losses. It is also true that their resistance collapsed rapidly in WW II, but this was not due to cowardice but to inept strategic planning and poor commanding. In these faults and failures, they were joined by the British, who were spared the same fate not by superior bravery but only by the Channel.
Since de Gaulle’s name came up in this thread, It also bears mention that de Gaulle himself was a notable strategic thinker who, before WW II, had vehemently advocated the same Blitzkrieg strategies that were put into practice by the Germans under Guderian. De Gaulle, and similarly Liddell Hart in Britain, had had the right ideas but simply couldn’t get through the ossified layers of the military establishment. Ironically, Guderian didn’t face this problem, since the German army had been all but disbanded in the treaty of Versailles.
My German ancestors fought in both world wars. None of them ever commented slightingly about the bravery of the enemy, French or otherwise. The cowardice of the French is a legend born from shameful ignorance.

Pamela Gray
May 14, 2014 7:34 pm

This is an easy critique. France is troling for dollars. Plain and simple. So. How much money ARE we giving France?

Pamela Gray
May 14, 2014 7:36 pm

Let’s be exact here. I agree the Michael about the legend. The bravery of the French Underground, and their extreme sacrifices paid, should be remembered always.

Eugene WR Gallun
May 14, 2014 8:14 pm

ITS THE POLITICAL CLIMATE, STUPID!
500 hundred days??? They are talking about the POLITICAL CLIMATE. At first glance it seems that the message is that the lefties have 500 days in which to pass laws and regulations that institutionalize global warming. Its a “do or die” situation for them. They either make global warming the law of the land (or more correctly the law of the world) or the political scam fails.
And they can’t. The political climate has been shifting for at least the last five years — and the smart ones have known it! Yet, there was still plenty of political advantage to be sucked out of global warming — but now they are hearing the first gurgles of the giant flushing sound that is going to send global warming (and all its namesakes) down into the sewers.
So whats up? This is not a real call for political action — rather it is a warning to insiders that it is time to jump ship. The smartest rats will hear the real message and be jumping off the quickest. The dumb rats will still go on ranting about global warming providing cover as the ship goes down.
Meanwhile, the smart rats, while the dumb rats continued their rants, will have found a safe hole into which to crawl. Later the smart rats will not open their holes to the dumb rats — the dumb rats becoming a big part of the smart rats’ disguise. Hiding is so much easier when public attention is focused elsewhere — on someone else.
(Woe onto them! The climate scientists who pimped their science and pumped up global warming are the ideal “scaperats”. There will be no political protection for them! The smartest rats will actually help prosecute them!)
The political sky is falling! That’s what this 500 days statement really says. And the smart rats better run!
Eugene WR Gallun

ImranCan
May 14, 2014 8:22 pm

Gordon Brown October 2009 : “we have 50 days to save the world”.
I’m not sure what is worse. The blatant stupidity …. Or the fact that these guys actually seem to believe what they say.

lee
May 14, 2014 8:39 pm

500 days to the 21st birthday party- book your seats now; Paypal accepted.

u.k.(us)
May 14, 2014 9:26 pm

harkin says:
May 14, 2014 at 12:05 pm
In the old days the French would just drop their guns, grab their ankles and hope the UK/USA would clean up the mess before too many Frenchies suffered.
The times change but the cowardice remains the same.
===============
What an idiotic comment, is there some kind of contest going on ?

May 14, 2014 9:37 pm

In 500 days, France plans on offering its unconditional surrender to any nation who will support them and their unions, 30 hr work weeks, August off paid of course, and 30 days vacation in the other 11 months.

philincalifornia
May 14, 2014 10:13 pm

What’s he going on about – we’ve got until July, 2017 to save the planet? That other mental midget Prince Charles said so:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/jul/13/in-eight-years-quoth-the-prince/?page=all
A very good read – and you’ll see why when you get to the bottom and see who authored it. Definitely worth a bump.

CarlF
May 14, 2014 10:30 pm

Obama has around 500 days until he becomes a lame duck. About 500 days to fulfill his promise to make power costs skyrocket. Perhaps that’s where the 500 day deadline came from?

May 14, 2014 10:31 pm

In related wackiness walk-backs, Gov Moonbeam retracts his ludicrous statements on LAX and SFO.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-brown-lax-remarks-20140514-story.html
An aide to Jerry Brown confirmed Wednesday that the governor was wrong when he said global warming would eventually cause rising seawater to inundate Los Angeles International Airport.
Citing new studies, Brown called attention to the global warming issue on Tuesday, saying a predicted 4-foot rise in sea level within the next 200 years could force the relocation of LAX at a cost of billions of dollars.

Herbert
May 14, 2014 10:47 pm

Monsieur Fabius is wrong about the 500 days . Prince Charles said in The Independant on July 9, 2009 that he had carefully calculated that we had only 96 months to save the planet from disaster . We only need to start worrying about July 8, 2017.

john
May 15, 2014 4:06 am

If Russia cuts off gas to Ukraine and most of europe then we are all saved…. But then, R Hunter Biden came to the rescue.
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-05-13/farce-complete-joe-bidens-son-joins-board-largest-ukraine-gas-producer
Now we are all doomed.

Non Nomen
May 15, 2014 4:23 am

It is said that the french eat frogs and snails, so folks, don’t worry. Perhaps that works with plonk in abundance only, but the time comes that the sobriety of truth will enlighten even the most obstinate frenchman.

David A
May 15, 2014 7:51 am

It is simply 500 days to propagandize the public with a “we are doomed story” over every drop of rain, puff of wind, or drop of rain that fails to fall, until the public humbly accepts every proposal to acquiesce to their power plots and money grabs.

RobertC
May 15, 2014 10:00 am

I think we now only have 498 days left. Oh well.

Terry Comeau
May 15, 2014 10:54 am

Isn’t it roughly 545 until the next Presidential election in the US?